Jacobin Reading Group

We hold open discussions on socialism and related topics prompted by articles available for free online at Jacobinmag.com. Whatever your background, your perspective can help us all imagine a world without capitalism or oppressive cultural norms.

"Jacobin reading groups bring leftists together to engage with socialist ideas in a lively, open, and non-doctrinaire environment. You won’t have to pay dues or conduct secret rituals, but the groups are valuable intellectual and social spaces that cut across organizational boundaries.

Groups unite organizers, workers, student activists, and those new to the Left. Every group is open to people thinking about socialist politics for the first time, as well as more seasoned friends."

Jacobin publishes insightful, accessible articles on history, current events, and culture from a variety of left perspectives, featuring voices of journalists, activists, academics, organizers, politicians and more from around the world. They also published a collection of essays we will be discussing, called The ABCs of Socialism, which introduces readers to practical aspects of contemporary socialist thought. Discussions feature a diversity of perspectives including all different levels/kinds of engagement with left politics, and we would love to have your input! All participants have the opportunity to select readings and facilitate discussions. For articles under discussion in upcoming meetings and other enquiries, email martin.kasey@gmail.com with the subject jacobin.

Saturday January 13

Saturday February 10

Tuesday April 3

We will discuss the recent successeful West Virginia teachers' wildcat strike and what it can teach us about building labor power under the expansion of right to work laws that seek to diminish it. Here is the reading material:

Saturday April 7

We will discuss the recent successeful West Virginia teachers' wildcat strike and what it can teach us about building labor power under the expansion of right to work laws that seek to diminish it. Here is the reading material:

Saturday May 19

Join us for a close look at the dynamics of the Syrian civil war, viewed from a variety of sometimes contradictory leftist perspectives, with a focus on the elements of the Syrian resistance, both armed and peaceful. We will only be discussing the first two sections of the first reading, and you will probably want to download the pdf in order to rotate it.

Saturday June 23

Saturday November 10

All are welcome to participate in an accessible, open-ended, thorough, and action-oriented discussion about the structures that oppress varied and overlaping groups which, together, make up the vast majority of the world population, how they can be overturned, and what real equality, justice and democracy might look like. This month, we challenge the narrative that capitalism is the only way to organize free exchange of goods, and discuss the effect of political economy on the choice to have a family and the roles played by different family members. These articles, the former written by one of America's most influential Marxist economists, Richard Wolff, offer a great introduction to contemporary socialist concepts in the abstract, at work, and in the home. We look forward to hearing your input on these important topics! Links to the readings below.